PS: One of the things I read was a 30 page compilation of about 150 studies done over the last 30 years. It included studies on starvation (such as refugee camps), anorexia, and other eating disorders--where, at some point, the weight loss stopped, but the shutdown of vital organs continued. It was very interesting...

At the point where the weight loss stopped even though they burned more calories than they ate in the situations you are referencing the people were starving. There is a huge difference between starvation and trying to lose weight. And their organs continued to shutdown. They probably couldn't weigh any less because that was the weight of their skeleton, skin & organs.